If you're between 18 and 28 years old, you have the opportunity to become part of an epic project that centres around the first human-powered journey from the South to North Pole called Pole to Pole 2006: Inspirational Insanity.
Organizers hope that through this event, set to launch at the end of August this year, they can prove youth can accomplish the incredible and ignite youth across the globe to work for the environment, society and sustainable economies in their own communities.
You could become one of 24 people attempting the journey that will travel across Antarctica, sail the Antarctic Ocean and then journey overland through Africa to Mount Kilimanjaro where the first team of 12 will turn over the journey to a second team of 12. That group will then head to Europe, Siberia and across the Northern Ice Cap reaching the North Pole eighteen months later in May, 2008. And two expedition team participants will be selected to complete the entire journey.
But the incredible journey is only one of five components of Pole to Pole. There will be people selected for advance teams that will "create change by working with local, national and international charities to assist environmental, community and sustainable economic projects."
There will be educational teams that will "travel throughout North America and Europe bringing inspiration and leadership training of the Pole to Pole journey to schools, colleges and public groups."
There will be an international online youth network dubbed the virtual team where members will have special online training opportunities and online access to the expedition and advance and educational teams.
Another component is world outreach where organizers hope to gain the attention of the world through an online program for schools and film and TV documentaries.
The entire effort is hoped to connect youth worldwide to create a positive future and inspire and train youth to make a difference in their communities and the world.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Pole to Pole co-founder Kevin Scott, who hopes to see a million participants this year.
He teamed up with founder Martyn Williams in 2003 to create the community outreach portion of the journey. Williams is the first person in the world to have led expeditions to the three extremes: the North Pole, the South Pole and the peak of Mount Everest.
"He is an explorer extra-ordinaire and has been doing it for 35 years. He's gone on all kinds of expeditions and even started his own expedition tourism business, but there came a point where he wanted to give back," Scott said.
He created the Pole to Pole Institute and in 2000 he led a group of youth on a relay from the North Pole to the South Pole. The expedition was a success, and Williams wanted it to have a greater focus on youth giving back to the community.
That's when Scott came on board. He has a wealth of experience in charitable activities and designed this year's Pole to Pole expedition to embrace that charitable aspect.
"Martyn wasn't able to turn the energy created by the first Pole to Pole into something with a global impact so I was able to design the overarching structure of the institute and create projects that youth all over the world can plug in to," Scott said.
Former Sunshine Coast student Thomas McPherson is already "plugged in" and hopes to be selected for one of the expedition teams, which will be decided in August after a training camp for hopefuls.
"This is just an amazing opportunity on a huge scale. It's a great opportunity for me to get a jump start in life," 25-year-old McPherson said.
He found out about Pole to Pole through Williams who gave a presentation at his Vancouver Capilano College campus. Soon McPherson went online to learn more.
He got very excited about the project and started giving presentations of his own to school groups and churches. Through his efforts, dozens of youth have signed up to be part of Pole to Pole in one form or another.
"This is the kind of project that is all about creating a better world and educating people about how to get involved in their communities, raise the standards of living for themselves and others and preserve the environment to ensure habitat for our future in general," McPherson said.
He hopes Pole to Pole 2006 will continue to gain momentum and include a large group of participants from the Sunshine Coast.
"We have a huge opportunity to get involved and make a difference in the world," he said.
For more information about Pole to Pole 2006, including how to enroll, go to www.EnrollToPole.com.
